Nurse Gl-Gl-Gl-Gladys Emmanuel – the object of Arkwright’s affections in Open All Hours – alias Lynda Baron signed my sketch after a performance of J.B. Priestley’s When We Were Married at the Garrick Theatre in the West End in November 2012.
She is currently featuring in D.H. Lawrences’s The Daughter at the Sheffield Crucible.
A quick, minimal lined indian ink portrait with letraset spirit-based marker of comedian, actor and sometimes transvestite Eddie Izzard (without eyeliner). I’m seeing his Force Majeure show tonight at London’s O2.
I met him at the British Film Institute in December 2011, when he did a Q&A after the screening of his film Lost Christmas. He said, “you know, I usually sign drawings on the back,” and did so. A quick, moderately line ‘graph in blue sharpie
Oscar winner Charlize Theron signed my sketch at the Prometheus World Premiere at the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square, London in May 2012.
Jessica Biel also signed my sketch at the Total Recall UK premiere in August 2012, along with Kate Beckinsale.
Audrey Tautou is one of my favourite French actresses (and there are many!) in one of my favourite French films Amelie. I did this sketch in 2009 and forgot about it. In 2011 it surfaced in an annual reshuffle of my ‘filing system’. So, I sent it to her Paris agent to sign and voila! She has also added a little French inscription.
Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, or as he is commonly known as, Sir Michael Caine, signed my quick sketch at his London agent’s office.
I drew it after attending the launch of his latest book, Elephant to Hollywood at the British Film Institute in 2011 and carried it around hoping to see him at a premiere or theatre opening night. That never happened. I used to see him at the occasional event, but his appearances have been minimal lately.
He turned 80 this year and planned to retire, but decided he wanted a third Oscar, so his official deadline will now be 90. Having already won two Academy Awards, he is one of the only two actors (the other is Jack Nicholson) nominated for an acting Oscar in every decade from the 1960s to 2000s
Sir Michael is an excellent signer, either in person or through the mail, with an efficient, no frills siggy… similar to his legendary cockney accent and acting style.
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton Wykenham Fiennes was only signing programmes and tickets at the stage door of the Royal Theatre Haymarket in London in August 2011. He was playing Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Although spelt ‘Ralph’ it is pronounced ‘Rafe’, so don’t ask ‘Ralph’ for a ‘graph or you may not get one! The theatre management were very strict about the signing policy, so I made do with my ticket and programme siggys. I did however, leave a drawing of Ralph as Prospero and Elisabeth Hooper as his daughter Miranda at the stage door, and it was returned, signed by both.
Later that year Ralph also made his film directional debut, with an adaption of the Bard’s tragedy Coriolanus, in which he also played the title role. It screened at the BFI London Film Festival in October that year. Ralph attended and was happy to sign and dedicate my sketch at the Odeon West End Theatre in Leicester Square. Coriolanus actually had its premiere at the Curzon Mayfair in early January 2012. Once again Ralph attended and this time signed a sketch I did some years earlier, when he was on Broadway in 2006, playing Frank Hardy in Faith Healer at the Booth Theater. I was, in fact, in New York during the play’s season, but couldn’t get a ticket. Anyway, he was once again obliging with his autograph and complimentary comments.
Kate Beckinsale signed my sketch at the Total Recall UK premiere at the Vue cinema in Leicester Square, London in August 2012.
The film was a remake of the 1990 dystopian sci-fi action flick of the same name, which was in turn loosely based on the 1966 short story We Can Remember It For You Wholesale by Philip K. Dick.
Jude Law signed this portrait on his way to an evening performance at the Donmar Warehouse in August 2011. He was the big draw in this outstanding revival of Eugene O’Neill’s play Anna Christie, playing the role of the hulking seadog hero Mat Burke.
Jude’s fine ear for the salty vernacular of the New York waterfront in the twenties earned him an Olivier Award nomination and five stars from all the major critics.
Sienna Miller signed my Comic Relief sketch at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in April 2011 when she was performing in Terrance Rattigan’s wartime play Flare Path.
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